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Career in Finance

Published: November 29, 2016

LinkedIn released very interesting data about two years ago: LinkedIn University Rankings based on career outcome. The ranking has a several career categories such as Accounting Professionals, Designers, Media… etc.

Georgetown ranked in the top for Investment Bankers and third in the Financial Professionals. This ranking came out in my sophomore year, when I had no idea about what my career would be like or what Georgetown grads do in general, so I was surprised to know that Georgetown launches so many graduates into finance. Two years later, now being a senior, I realized that I am one of those Georgetown kids. As a student who did/is going to work in finance, I want to talk a bit about my recruiting experience.

Last year, I applied for summer internship in Tokyo offices of a bunch of Wall Street firms. The reason was pretty simple -I thought finance would be a field that I can apply my studying in economics to. Luckily I got an offer from a markets division of one of the leading financial institutions.

During the 10-weeks internship, a lot of things happened in the economy: Brexit, Bank of Japan meeting, IPO of a big Japanese tech company and the FOMC meeting. Not only those big market events but also economic statistics released monthly or bi-weekly influenced the markets and the atmosphere of the trading floor. In the beginning of the internship, I couldn’t grasp the importance of 0.1% move of the government bond rates, how it relates to the stock indices or foreign exchange. By watching my boss calling the clients and trading, studying about financial terms by myself and working on the projects, I often questioned myself if I can actually work here, be responsible for clients’ money and add value to the firm. Sometimes my parents are worried if the financial industry is a right place for me to start a career, considering the economy slowing down and the tendency where more and more financial jobs are replaced by technology. Despite those concerns, my desire to stay in the markets was persistent or even got stronger. I liked to be in this constantly changing markets and wanted to be a part of it.

Two weeks ago, I got an offer from a different financial institution in Japan. I can finally start enjoying senior year!

I initially thought as an econ major I can use what I learned from school to work in finance, but it was not completely true. All you need to know for work was far from study of economics at college, so everyone is at the same starting line (unless you major in finance). If you apply something you learned at school to work, that would be your way of logical thinking: skills to connect the dots and to express it so people can understand your view. Yes, Georgetown has a good business school, which contributed to pushing us up in the ranking, but I think it’s more like our work attitudes that would be valued rather than knowledge.